Indian Navy Assumes First-Ever Command of Combined Task Force 154
The Indian Navy has assumed command of Combined Task Force (CTF) 154 for the first time, marking a significant development in its expanding role within the multinational Combined Maritime Forces (CMF).
The change-of-command ceremony was held on February 11, 2026, at the CMF Headquarters in Manama, Bahrain. The event was presided over by Vice Admiral Curt A. Renshaw, Commander of CMF, US NAVCENT and the US Fifth Fleet. Vice Admiral Tarun Sobti, Deputy Chief of the Naval Staff (DCNS), Indian Navy, attended the ceremony along with senior military representatives from member nations. Commodore Milind M. Mokashi formally took over as Commander of CTF 154 from his Italian Navy predecessor.
During his visit to Bahrain, Vice Admiral Sobti called on Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces and Prime Minister of Bahrain. Discussions focused on strengthening bilateral naval cooperation and enhancing maritime security collaboration between the two countries.
CTF 154, established in May 2023, is the training and capacity-building arm of the 47-nation Combined Maritime Forces, headquartered in Bahrain. The task force is aimed at enhancing maritime security through structured multinational training programmes across the Middle East and adjoining waters.
Its activities are organised around five key pillars–Maritime Domain Awareness, Law of the Sea, Maritime Interdiction Operations, Maritime Rescue and Assistance, and Leadership Development. The Indian Navy in its statement said that the task force conducts Maritime Security Enhancement Training (MSET) activities and exercises such as Compass Rose and Northern and Southern Readiness drills, aimed at improving partner nations’ capabilities to counter challenges including illegal trafficking, piracy and irregular migration.
CTF 154 operates alongside other CMF task forces—CTF 150 (Maritime Security), CTF 151 (Counter-Piracy), CTF 152 (Maritime Security in the Arabian Gulf) and CTF 153 (Maritime Security in the Red Sea).
With this development, the Indian Navy will lead CTF 154’s training and coordination initiatives during its tenure, further strengthening its engagement within the multinational maritime security framework, the Indian Navy said.
